New Delhi: Sarita Mali (28) had worked every day from middle school until she finished her undergrad, aiding her father in his business of selling flower garlands on Mumbai’s streets. She is now pursuing a PhD in Hindi Literature at the University of California, Santa Barbara, after completing her master’s degree at Jawaharlal Nehru University. Life has been challenging for Mali, who grew up in a slum in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar and attended a municipal school there, but she also believes she has had many opportunities. She describes her admission to JNU as a “turning point” for which she had spent three years preparing.
